A New beginning
by GraffiGirl
Summary: Okay, okay I realise that this is a cliched title and concept but it's basically a new set of Digi-Destined and their first encounter with the Digital World. It's set around ten years after the end of 02 (not the prologue tho') but there are no spoilers..
1. Default Chapter

OOC: Okay, some apologies, first of all, I'm sorry for having chosen such a cliche  
for my first fic to be uploaded here, but there's a reason to my madness, I swear.  
Anyways, the sentence/paragraph/writing structure varies quite a bit and there's  
a reason for that too. Basically the reason is is that its a collected transcript  
of a Digimon RPG I've started. It's set about Ten years after the end of 02  
(the real end, not that cruddy prologue.... if you don't believe it to be cruddy  
then contemplate this, Matt... is an astronaut. WTF? And he's married to Sora?  
Again, WTF? Did he lose a bet?) Anyways, on with the story. I really, really  
appreciate any kind of feedback, even flames (I like counter-attacks ^_\\\)  
and if anybody's even remotely interested in joining up with the RPG, there's  
plenty of space, just e-mail me at Graffi_Girl@hotmail.com  
  
  
The Next Generation: A New Beginning  
  
  
Jade walked out of school for what was hopefully the last time, she'd been   
all ready to leave when Mr. Izumi had stumbled by with the latest computer  
supplies so she had just had to help, and then he'd begun talking, boy that  
guy was long-winded when it came to computers. Anyway, an hour and several  
escape attempts later she was ready to catch the last bus.  
  
She walked out into the yard to see four others waiting for the bus, probably  
in similar situations to her.  
  
There was Kaoru Shirenai, the Mr. Excellent of the class, a jock and a genius  
and a social wonder. Talk about breaking the curve.  
  
Then there was Mayumi Yenn, a relatively new girl, whom Jade admired for   
sticking up for herself with a good 'So what?' when one of the 'popular'  
girls had commented on her supposedly unfashionable clothes.  
  
Off to the side of her slumped Konkojii Usotsu, or 'Just Kon', he was two  
years younger than the rest of them but he was in their class because of his  
being advanced. He always came armed with a good wise-ass comment, which was  
handy because most people found it strange that a ten year old was in their  
class.  
  
And standing rigid and significantly taller than the rest was Bryan Follis,  
who'd moved to the area from America a while ago, he kept himself to himself   
but Samantha was on a first name with him after identifying with the whole   
changing countries thing.  
  
The usual, meaningless pleasantries were exchanged, the occasional joke being  
thrown in when the group was interuppted by the snow that began to fall, which  
was pretty weird, considering the area wasn't renowned for snow.  
  
All five of them gazed skyward, when all of a sudden, the sky tore open and   
five objects, glowing in varied colours, shot downwards and lay suspended  
in the air in front of them. Without saying a word each child reached forward,  
grasping the object like it was a part of them that had been missing for  
so long. Then, all hell broke loose. The feeling was like bungee-jumping from  
a fighter jet as the children shot into the air, leaving the yard vacant.  
  
******  
  
The tall, slender woman looked up at the disturbance in the sky, turning back   
to her responsibilities, five of the crests began to glow and point towards the   
direction where the disturbance had been.  
  
"So, it begins again."  
  
*********  
  
  
As Bryan reached for the device, the prominent emotion was   
confusion. It wasn't out of wondering what the device was, which seemed to be   
the way others were handling the situation.   
  
Out of impulse, he whispered, "Another one?" Fortunately, no one was   
paying much attention to him.   
  
He glanced at the others once more. Kon and Kaoru were trying to   
figure out what it was, while Jade and May seemed astonished. They had all   
picked theirs up by that time, so Bryan decided snatched his up lest he let   
on.   
  
As soon as he grabbed ahold of it, they were caught in some kind of   
force. Bryan quickly realized that they were falling through a dimensional   
plane, mostly because there was no other possibility.   
  
He hit the ground flat on his feet, but something fell off a nearby   
tree and neerly knocked him out. As it was, he was lying face-down in the   
underbrush. He was about to get up when he heard some rustling around. He   
then heard a voice say, "You'll never escape again! We'll take you back to   
Conductor City, traitor. And don't start talking about this 'Digidestined'   
nonsense again."   
  
There was some more rustling, and Bryan could tell that at least one   
was approaching him. A second voice said, "What should we do with this one?"   
  
The first voice said, "Kill him, then catch up."   
  
The source of the second voice circled around Bryan, while the others   
left. When Bryan felt he was about to strike, he jumped up, knocking him   
away. Bryan quickly withdrew his rapiers and spun towards his foe.   
  
Seeing no one, Bryan called out, "Where are you?! If you show yourself   
and give up I won't have to kill you."   
  
He heard the voice from much closer to the ground than he had   
anticipated. It said, "I'm right here! Please don't kill me!" Bryan looked   
down and saw a small creature.   
  
"What are you?" Bryan asked.   
  
"I'm a Red Condumon," it said. "a type of Digimon. Please let me go!"   
  
"Fine," Bryan said as it ran off. He took this opportunity to look at   
the device he had obtained. He took out his own for comparison. They were   
identical, except his original one had gold outlines, while the new one had   
silver outlines. He couldn't remember where he first obtained his, he had had   
it since the meltdown. In fact, he couldn't remember anything from before the   
meltdown.   
  
Before he could spend more time pondering this turn of events, there   
was a loud disturbance from a ways off. He walked off to investigate.   
  
Jade sat up and rubbed her eyes drowsily. As her vision became clearer one   
thought came to mind, "Since when did the schoolyard sprout trees?"  
  
The area she was sitting in appeared to be a fairly dense forest, all manner   
of strange trees and shrubs bursting with colour around her. She stood up to   
take a look at one of these when a small, white object barrelled into her,   
knocking her to the ground.  
  
"You're here! You're here! You'rehereyou'rehereyou'rehereyou'rehere!" The   
tiny creature, which Jade realised looked extremely fish-like, jumped up and   
down on her chest, chanting it's little mantra.  
  
"Uhmmmm.... hi?" Jade said, her tone very confused.  
  
"You're here and then the others will come and we'll all be friends and the   
Digital World will be safe again!" The creature, which Jade assumed was   
female by it's tone, chimed.  
  
"Digital World?" Jade asked, still confused.  
  
"Omigosh, I'm so sorry, you must be curious, huh? Well, this is the Digital   
World, and you're a Digi-Destined and I'm your Digimon, Neemon." She said   
explaining.  
  
"Oookay, I'm actually just a kid, I should be on my way home."  
  
"No! You're a Digi-Destined, you have to be, you have a Digi-vice!" Neemon   
said excitedly, motioning to the device still clutched in Jade's hand, "And   
you're supposed to work with the others to save the Digital World."  
  
"The others? Oh no, they must have got sucked here too, I hope they're okay,   
I need to find them."  
  
As if to answer that comment Kaoru walked out into the clearing they were   
in.   
_________________________________  
  
When Kaoru awoke, he found himself lying on his back, spread-eagle, in a strange looking jungle. Last he remembered, he was at school, talking with some schoolmates while he waited for the bus. Then, it started snowing, and meteors appeared. After that, everything was hazy. Now, he was in some strange place, and he didn't know where he was or how he got there. But all that mattered was that he needed to get home.  
  
The boy picked himself up, dusted himself off, brushed his constantly windswept-looking hair back into place, and looked at his surroundings. He was in a clearing in a strange looking jungle, with odd-shaped trees in varying shades of green. There was a crop of hodgepodge street signs from Germany, France, Italy, and England, it appeared, next to a particularly large tree. Hanging on a German street sign was his backpack. As he walked over to pull it off, he noticed an object in his hand. It was a strange looking electronic device, with a small screen in the middle of it and a couple of buttons. He didn't remember where he got it, but it might be important, so he clipped it onto his belt.  
  
As he stuck his arms into his backpack strap, his acute sense of hearing detected movement. There was something out there. As he looked around from the corner of his eyes, trying to locate its source, a beeping noise emanated from the device on his belt.  
  
"Kuso." Kaoru muttered as he turned quickly to where the sound came from. However, the creature was no longer there. It had moved in the distraction of the beeping, and was in a new location. But he expected that to happen, so he was prepared for the worse. He wasn't taken completely by surprise when a small object barreled into his back from behind.  
  
"Hi!" The creature said as Kaoru turned and caught the object in his hands before it fell to the ground. "I've been waiting for you."  
  
"What are you?" Kaoru asked with a puzzled expression as he inspected the small, green spheroid in his hands.  
  
"Not a what, a who. I'm Scalemon, your partner."  
  
"And what exactly is a Scalemon?"  
  
"A Digimon, of course."  
  
"And what exactly is a Digimon?"  
  
"A Digital Monster. Don't you know?"  
  
"No, never heard of them. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back home. My sister is waiting for me." He set the scaly creature down onto the ground. But before Kaoru could take his first step, Scalemon jumped into his hands again.  
  
"Weren't you listening? I am YOUR partner. We are SUPPOSED to stick together."  
  
"I can't. I have to get home, I have to take care of my sister."  
  
"Sister? What's a sister?"  
  
"You don't know what a sister is?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Uhhh, okay. I guess we both need some education." Kaoru began to walk in what seemed to be the best direction, still carrying Scalemon in his hands. "I guess I can take you along. Yuzuriha might like to meet you, as well."  
  
"What's a Yuzuriha?" Kaoru shook his head as he started walking.  
  
The pair continued to work through the odd jungle, talking. In the middle of trying to explain what a family was, Kaoru trailed off. Once again, his ears picked something up. Voices, two female and one of them familiar, to be exact. Kaoru slowly trod in the noise's direction, finding one of the others walking through the thick trees.  
  
"I see you've got one, too." Said an slender girl with short, wavy, light brown hair.  
  
"It would seem so, Ikumino-san." Kaoru replied.  
  
"What did I tell you about that?" Jade said with some irritation. "Call me Jade. There's no need for formalities."  
  
"But!"  
  
"No buts. Call me Jade or don't talk to me at all."  
  
"Alright." He acquiesced. "So, who's your friend?"  
  
"This is Neemon." Jade held out the fish-like creature.  
  
"Nice to meet you!" The long, white creature greeted happily.  
  
"What about yours?"  
  
"This is Scalemon." Kaoru replied.  
  
"It's a pleasure." Scalemon saluted.  
  
"Well, this is an odd predicament we seem to have somehow gotten into."  
  
"Yeah, this is odd alright. Maybe we should go find the others."  
  
"That sounds like a good idea."  
  
  
"So, Iku-, I mean Jade any idea what's going on here?" Kaoru asked after a   
few seconds silence.  
  
"Not a clue." Jade replied, stopping in her tracks to turn and look further   
into the forest behind them, she was sure that she'd heard a sound like a   
bellowing roar.  
  
Neemon scrambled up onto Jade's shoulder and tried to hide in her hair,   
which did nothing to reassure her.  
  
"Uhmm, what's that?" Jade asked.  
  
"A Loud bellowing roar, in the Digital World that's never good." Neemon   
said, quickly retreating behind Jade's hair again.  
  
Kaoru was about to say something when a huge figure, which seemed to consist   
solely of fangs and teeth burst out of the thick forest, snarling and   
roaring.  
  
Jade took a step closer to Kaoru, "W.. what's that?"  
  
"He's Keenomon, he's very nasty and his ribbon claw will... well, cut you to   
ribbons.. we might want to run now." She said helpfully.  
  
Jade and Kaoru nodded, gathering their respective Digimon in their arms   
before turning tail and running whilst yelling their heads off.  
  
"You know.. Kaoru, now... would.. be the perfect time to do something   
brave.. instead of just running like a big.. chicken.." Jade said between   
gasps for air.  
  
"Me? You're running too, why don't you do anything?"  
  
"I'm a girl, it's un-ladylike to fight and lower myself to such actions....   
now turn around and do something before I knock your block off!" Jade said,   
taking note of the ground so she didn't trip.  
  
Their options on whether to turn and fight or carry on running were severely   
limited when they came to a large cliff edge, the drop looked like it was   
100 feet down.  
  
The pair turned, ready to fight, although, in Jade's case reluctantly, as   
the evil Digimon beared down on them.  
  
(OOC: in this next section I'm gonna take the libertie that you've all met   
up with your Digimon so as to keep the ball rolling, if anyone wants to play   
it differently to that then just drop me a line and I'll alter it for you,   
okay?)  
  
From out of the brush being torn up at Keenomon's feet ran three other   
figures came running towards them.  
  
Within seconds, Bryan, Jade, Kaoru, Kon and May stood reunited, along with   
their newly-acquired Digital Partners, except Bryan for some strange reason. Respectively, Neemon, the optimistic Aquatic Digimon,   
Scalemon, the Proud Dragon Digimon, Nekkomon, the wise-ass Feline Digimon   
and Faramon, the cute Magneitc Digimon just in case anyone was wondering,   
which of course they really wouldn't, considering they were about to become   
lunch for an evil Digimon, but if they were wondering that's the response   
they'd get.  
  
"Okay, what the hell is that?" Kon asked, staring back at Keenomon.  
  
"Keenomon, an evil Digimon that likes to hurt innocents for no reason.. and   
watch your language." Nekkomon answered from his arms.  
  
"And consdiering that we're trapped between it and a very long plummet to   
our deaths we're supposed to do what?" May asked, hoping someone would have   
a good answer.  
  
"We fight it, of course." Scalemon replied.  
  
"Uhmm, hello? What are we going to do against something like that?" Jade   
asked, trying to make everyione see sense, there was no way they could fight   
off that thing without getting seriously hurt.  
  
"We may not do much, but we have to protect you, we've only just found you,   
we can't let you get hurt." Neemon said, bravely hopping free of Jade's   
arms.  
  
The other Digimon did the same, getting between their partners and Keenomon   
who had caught up to them and was now getting ready to attack.  
  
Keenomon swung back one of its many, clawed arms and got ready to attack.  
  
"No, come back, you'll get hurt!"  
  
"Hurt? It's suicide!"  
  
"Get away from them you big bullie!"  
  
Keenomon started his attack when a hitch-pitched wail rang through the air.   
The devices the kids had gotten back at the bus stop began to shake and   
glow, bright beams of energy shooting at their Digimon.  
  
  
"Neemon digivolved to Aquamon!"  
  
"Scalemon digivolved to Demidramon!"  
  
"Nekkomon digivolved to Toramon!"  
  
"Faramon digivolved to Fimon!"  
  
From the light came the four Digimon, looking different but still somehow   
the same, one thing was sure though, they were all ready to kick some   
Digital ass.  
  
  
"Magnerang!"  
  
"Aquaisphere!"  
  
"Fire Dart!"  
  
Fimon, Demidramon and Aquamon yelled, letting loose their attacks, which slammed  
into Keenomon with extreme force, forcing him to the stumble back a little  
and off to the right, pushing him towards the edge of the cliff. Toramon leapt  
forward, seeing his oppurtunity and curling into a tight ball before springing  
at his enemy, thrashing out with his fists and feet.  
  
"Tiger Pummle!"  
  
Not able to stand the attacks Keenomon stumbled over the edge, falling down  
and landing with a loud crash.  
  
The four Digimon all congratulated each other and crowded around their owners.  
May looked distraught, "Am I the only one a little weirded out by all this?"  
  
"Not really, but then I read a lot of sci-fi, it helps." Kon said, in a tone that  
implied he was more sincere than mocking for once.  
  
Jade bent down low and stroked Aquamon, "Wow, that was amazing, but, uhmmm,  
what are you? And what happened to Neemon?" She asked, looking around the  
clearing.  
  
"I am Neemon, I just digivolved... we all did."  
  
"Uhmm, Digivolved? What's that?" Jade asked, once more confused.  
  
"Digivolving is a process in which the Digimon draw on their own strength to  
reach new levels of being, however in your case, what with you all being Digi-Destined  
the Digimon draw on the strength of their bond with you to make it happen a lot  
quicker. As time goes on, you'll find that they digivolve in different ways,  
Gods knows that the last set of you kids did, Digivolving, Warp Digivolving,  
DNA Digivolving, Armour Digivolving.. even I lost track." Proclaimed a voice  
as its owner walked into the clearing.  
  
The woman was tall and elegant, she looked to be about 20 something, she had long, beautiful  
white hair that reached down to her knees and fell in front of her as well as  
behind her. Her eyes were a striking shade of Purple and she was wearing  
a simple, blue silk robe with the pattern of flowers on it. In her hand she   
held out five pieces of jewellery that looked like simple silver necklaces.  
  
"Uhmm... hi.. who are you?" Jade asked politely.  
  
"Who cares who she is, she's hot." Kon chimed in from behind her.  
  
The woman sighed and walked closer to the group, "The saviours of the world  
always have to be children.." She stopped short of them, "My Name is Genna, I  
am here to be your guide."  
  
"Saviours? Of what?" Kaoru asked, showing a lot more tact that Kon.  
  
"That will all become clear in time child of Valour."  
  
"So you're a guide, good then guide us home." May said.  
  
"You misunderstand little one, I am here to guide you on your mission, I can   
not yet take you home. You are here to save the worlds, you and your Digimon  
partners will free us from the darkness that is coming to engulf us all. There  
will be others, I cannot say how many, but they will arrive to help you, eventually."  
  
"Uhmmm..." Bryan said, finally speaking up, "Then why am I here? I don't have  
a partner like the others."  
  
Genna smiled softly at Bryan, "You do, but he is in trouble, he is being held  
against his will by one more formidable than himself, believe me there is no   
other way he wouldn't be at your side. I believe you will find him in a city  
due west of here, you will encounter danger there, but I believe you will  
be able to handle it yourselves."  
  
"Ourselves? You mean you won't be coming with us?" Jade asked, seeming a little  
less calm and collected than usual.  
  
"I'm afraid I cannot, but do not fear, I will be there when you need me, not that  
you will, you hold the strength already inside you." As she said this she  
shifted around the five silver necklaces in her hand.  
  
"What are those?" May asked, pointing to the necklaces.  
  
"These," Genna said, moving forward, "Are your Crests, they will help you   
realise your hidden power, and in time will become very powerful weapons."  
  
She pulled the white crest out of her hand and set it about Jade's neck,   
"Purity."  
  
Next was Kaoru, for him it was a Crimson crest, "Valour."  
  
Then Bryan, a silvery blue crest, "Ingenuity."  
  
After this May, a ____ crest, "______" (OOC: If you could give me some info  
on May's crest soon I'd appreciate it CP)  
  
And finally Kon, a turquoise crest, "Truth."  
  
Kon looked up at Genna and smiled, "You sure you won't be coming with us? You,  
me, the open road, campfires, it'd be magic babe." He said, grinning from ear   
to ear.  
  
Genna rolled her eyes, "You, Truthful one," She said, kneeling before him and   
looking him straight in the eyes, "Are going to be a handful, I can tell."  
  
With this she got up and walked back into the woods, "Goodbye Chosen Children,  
I wish you the best of luck."  
  
Kaoru called after her, "Luck's all well and good, but what are we supposed to do?!"  
  
"Go west, towards the sunset, you'll find Bryan's Digimon there, after that you'll  
know what to do!" She replied, dissappearing into the woods and leaving  
the Digi-destined alone. 


	2. New Beginning 2: Dawn comes.

OOC: Okay, here's the second batch of posts from my Digimon RPG, by a colaboration of authors. In this post respectively Kenichi, Bryan and Me (seperated by the lines)  
please r&r and if anybody's interested in signing up please, please, please contact me.  
  
  
  
  
Conductor City turned out to be further away than they'd expected, so the group had decided to set up camp for the night. They had decided to set up in one of the more dense of the jungle. May and Jade were off searching for food and water, while Bryan, Kon, and Kaoru were setting up the tent. The leaves and branches made for a suitable tent. "How do you know we'll be safe here," Kon asked to no one in particular.   
  
"Most likely, we won't be," Toramon told him. "There could be more evil Digimon around."   
  
"We'll have to take turns guarding the camp site," Bryan said. "I'll go first, I always stay up late anyway."   
  
"But, you don't have a Digimon to protect you," Kon said.   
  
"Let Demidramon stay up with you," Kaoru said. "All right, Demidramon?" There was no reply, Kaoru eventually spotted Demidramon. He had fallen asleep from the exhaustion.   
  
"Don't worry," Bryan said. "I'm armed and ready to defend myself."   
  
"I guess so," Kon said. "And, judging by the way you handle your rapiers in chopping branches, you shouldn't have a problem."   
  
While he was speaking, May and Jade appeared. Each had brought branches full of berries. The Digimon were also carrying berries. "Did you get anything to drink?" Kaoru asked.   
  
"We found a river, not far north from here," May said.   
  
"Plus, these berries are juicy," Jade said. "And delicious."   
  
After they had all sat down for a quick dinner, everyone except Bryan went to sleep. He kept watch for a couple of hours, before he saw a flame in the distance. He decided to wait and see if it was a threat.   
  
A short while later, Bryan heard some rustling in nearby bushes. He went over to investigate it. After only a couple of steps, a Red Condumon jumped out. Out of reflex, Bryan drew a rapier. The Red Condumon jumped at him, and Bryan strafed to his left. He thrusted his rapier at it, but it jumped back, barely evading it. Bryan followed up by swinging his rapier upwards, effectively launching the Red Condumon into the air. It landed a good 40 feet away, then ran off.   
  
"What was that?" Jade asked, waking up.   
  
"A Red Condumon, another evil Digimon," Bryan said. "You can go back to sleep, I handled it."   
  
After she had gone to sleep, a voice in Bryan's head asked, Why didn't you handle the Keenomon like that?   
  
I guess I was just shocked from the Digivolving, Bryan admitted. I won' t cower from battle like that again.   
  
_________________________  
  
  
Kaoru lay restlessly, his mind in a haze. He couldn't sleep, how could he? Too many things were weighing heavily in his mind. The Digital World, Digidestined, and Digimon were only the freshest concerns. So, after several hours of vain attempts at sleeping, he got up to take over the watch.  
  
"Get some rest." Kaoru said as he relieved the other boy from duty.  
  
"Alright." Bryan replied as he got up from his seat. "What about Demidramon?"  
  
"Just let him be. I'll take care of it."  
  
"Whatever you say."  
  
When he was sure Bryan had gone, Kaoru walked northeast a short distance into a thicker grove of trees.  
  
Jade slowly started to wake again from her light slumber. She had awaken once before already, when Bryan had sent away a Digimon. Now, she noticed another sound, like something pounding into something else. What was that noise? Slowly, she opened her jade-colored (NRP: Hehe, no pun intended) eyes and looked around their campsite. In their tents were Kon, May, Bryan,.......but where was Kaoru? Demidramon was curled up, fast asleep by the weakening campfire. He wouldn't leave his partner, would he?  
  
Jade got up and stretched, yawning not because she was sleepy, but to get moisture into her eyes. Kaoru could probably take very good care of himself, but this world was strange. Already, they met four unusual little creatures, one Really Nasty Monster With Fangs and Claws(NRP: Called RNM's for short, or more specifically, RNMWFC's in this case), a curious lady who gave them necklaces called Crests, and one medium-sized Nasty Monster. Hearing the noises again, she headed for the source.  
  
Her search brought her to a close stand of trees a short distance away from their campsite. Kaoru was in that copse, darting around and striking the trees with his feet and fists in a seemingly rhythmic motion. Jade walked slowly as she approached, watching Mr. Excellent do one of his Excellent things. As she came to stand outside of the thicket, Kaoru drove his fist straight at the largest tree in front of him. He stood there for a moment, breathing hard and letting blood ooze from his knuckle. After about a minute, he straightened up.  
  
"Did I wake you, Jade-chan?" Kaoru asked without turning. Jade frowned at him, irritated. Why did he always have to be so polite and formal? She was on a first name basis with him, she had earned his trust enough. And it wasn't as if they were at school or something, it was just the two of them. At least he used her first name. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.  
  
"No, not at all." Jade replied as he turned around and walked toward her. "Can't sleep. Y'know, just too many things going on."  
  
"Come on, let's get back to the others."  
  
As they walked back to camp, Kaoru kept his bleeding hand balled into a fist.  
  
"Look, you're bleeding." She took notice of the crimson runnels from his knuckles. "You should get that cleaned up." Changing direction, she took him by the arm and led him to the river.   
  
The river was not very large, only about sixteen meters wide at this part. It was also in a rather nice clearing, where the full moon could be seen in the cloudless night sky. At the bank, Kaoru knelt down and stuck both his hands in, letting the chilly water run over them. When he got up, Jade tied his handkerchief tightly around his left hand to stop the bleeding.  
  
"Look at you, your hands are all raw." She stated, taking his other hand after bandaging that one. "How long were you doing that for?"  
  
"About an hour and a half." Kaoru replied after looking at his watch.  
  
"And why, may I ask, were you pounding your hands into pulp?"  
  
"I just like to stay active when there is something troubling me. That was the best thing for me to do at this time." He went to sit down on the lush, green grass a few feet away, Jade sitting down beside him.  
  
"What's bothering you?" He remained silent. "Come on, you can tell me."  
  
"Its this entire 'Save the World' business. I need to get home, Yuzuriha probably got worried sick when I didn't come home today."  
  
"Yuzuriha? Your sister?"  
  
"My little sister. Its my job to take care of her, when my parents aren't home."  
  
"I'm sure she'll be fine."  
  
"No she won't!" He exclaimed, putting his hands behind his head as he fell back onto the grass, his voice taking on a tone which she never heard him use before. "She's very ill. She's never been too strong. She has to take countless medications to have some semblance of a normal life. And its my job to make sure she is taken care of when my parents are away."  
  
"Well, where are your parents?"  
  
"They're on an assignment out of town, in Kobe."  
  
"Oh." A few moments of silence passed before she spoke again. "Don't think so much about it, Kaoru."  
  
"No! Its my responsibility, my duty, and I must fulfill it."  
  
"She'll be fine, trust me."  
  
"I can't. I'm sorry, I just can't."  
  
Neither of them spoke again for several minutes. They just sat there, not speaking a word. It was Kaoru who broke the silence.  
  
"The moon is very beautiful, isn't it?" He said, his voice a lot calmer than it had been before.  
  
"Huh?" Jade replied, puzzled.  
  
"The moon, isn't it beautiful?" She looked up into the starry sky where the pale disc sat while it made its way across the night.  
  
"Yes, it is."  
  
"I always feel so relaxed, just staring up at it, its pale light illuminating the night. It's a real wonder of nature."   
  
She turned to him as he spoke, noticing how the fierce intensity in his peculiar grey eyes had softened. This was a side of him Jade had never seen before. Had Kaoru dropped the facade of being a lonely soldier, or was this just an aspect to him he rarely revealed? But before she could ponder this question further, he noticed her eyes on him and he sat up again.  
  
"Come on, we should get back to camp." He said.  
  
"Yeah, I suppose." She replied and the two left for their campsite again.  
  
_________________  
  
  
Jade lay slumped on the log across from Kaoru, Aquamon asleep at her feet,   
staring vacantly into the flames.  
  
"Well, I'll say this for your little outburst, it made good fire-wood." She   
said, giggling as she tossed another log onto the fire.  
  
"You slay me Jade-Chan."  
  
She sighed and leant back, staring up at the sky, looking at the starscape   
that was alien to her, none of the familiar constellations she knew from   
sleeping on top of her apartment building during the summer. "We're a long   
way from home K." She said, lamentedly whilst alo trying out a new nick-name   
for Kaoru.  
  
"Yeah, I guess. The plants, the land, the creatures, hell not even the sky's   
the same."  
  
"So how come we're not freaking out more? I mean, we're in an environment   
that couldn't be any less familiar if it tried to with a group average age   
of 12."  
  
"Well, 11.8 to be exact," Kaoru chimed in.  
  
"I know, but I suck at maths so I left out Kon and Bryan." Jade said,   
choosing not to engage Kaoru about his perfectionism, "But my point is, we   
got slingshot across the world, heck, maybe even the universe, placed in a   
strange land where animals we've never heard of before can talk and told   
that the world is ours to save, and yet as far as things go, we've remained   
stable." Jade explained, lying back further to stare at the stars as she   
talked.  
  
"Yeah, well, I guess strength in numbers is what's doing it. I mean I keep   
forgetting that Kon's only ten, what must this be like for him?"  
  
"Oh, and the extra two years of life we have over him makes us the experts   
on all this I take it?" Jade snorted.  
  
"You know what I mean." Kaoru replied.  
  
"Yeah, I think he's just trying to stay strong, you know, not show that he's   
the youngest," she said, sitting up for a few seconds to gaze over at Kon's   
dozing form and checking her watch, "He made me promise to wake him up for   
his watch right about now, but to be honest I really don't have the heart to   
do it, he looks so sweet when he's asleep, all balled up and curled into   
Toramon." Jade said cooingly.  
  
"He probably looks that way because he's not speaking right now. Or joking.   
Or being sarcastic and a general wise-ass." Kaoru said bluntly.  
  
"Heh. Point taken. But I really don't think I'll wake him for his watch, I   
feel like talking for awhile. You up for it?" She asked, settling up next to   
the fire.  
  
"Always." Kaoru said, getting comfortable, "Oh and Jade?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Don't call me K."  
  
  
They talked all through the night, letting the fire die into smoking embers   
as the dawn approached, bathing them in brilliant, golden sunlight.  
  
"How come the sunrise is better here?" Jade asked, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"I guess its because it doesn't have to crawl past dozens of apartment   
blocks and skyscrapers here." Kaoru suggested getting to his feet.  
  
Jade got up and walked around a little, stretching out her aching legs   
before looking over to the others, all curled up inside their jury-rigged   
tent. "Aw, they look so sweet." She cooed, "Do you want to do or should I?"   
She asked, looking over to Kaoru excitedly.  
  
"Allow me," he replied, bringing two fingers to his mouth and letting out an   
ear-splitting whistle.  
  
The rest of the group sprung awake, at attention and ready to listen, well,   
kind of. "Okay, whoever woke me up is going to die." came a grumble from the   
tent.  
  
"Listen up! We're moving on okay? We've gotta make it to Conductor city   
soon, Bryan's partner is in trouble." Jade explained to the group, which   
resulted in more grumblings from the tent.  
  
"Who died and made her the boss."  
  
"She probably feels like she earned it after having to do your shift for   
you."  
  
"Hey, you didn't do your shift either."  
  
"So!"  
  
"Why, oh why did we all have to share one tent?"  



End file.
